Jordan Lynch acknowledged the process of his hiring and coach Frank Lenti’s firing as football coach at Mount Carmel could have been handled better.
The 2009 Mount Carmel graduate, however, isn’t apologizing for taking the job.
“I have no regrets,” said Lynch, who was named Caravan coach on Dec. 29. “I was up 100 percent up front with the administration and Frank. I had nothing to do with the whole process regarding Frank. This is the best decision for me and my family. I’m excited. I’ll never apologize for the approach I took.”
It’s an approach that Lynch said began in November when he was asked by Mount Carmel athletic director Dan LaCount if he was interested in succeeding Lenti. Lynch said the outreach came after the Caravan’s season ended with a Class 7A semifinal loss to Lake Zurich on Nov. 18.
Lynch, 27, didn’t think much of it.
Jordan Lynch (center), a Mount Carmel graduate, CFL quarter back and 2013 Heismen finalist with Northern Illinois, is seen in a Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, file photo in Chicago. Lynch will replace Frank Lenti as Mount Carmel’s head football coach.
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Jordan Lynch (center), a Mount Carmel graduate, CFL quarter back and 2013 Heismen finalist with Northern Illinois, is seen in a Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, file photo in Chicago. Lynch will replace Frank Lenti as Mount Carmel’s head football coach.
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Jordan Lynch (center), a Mount Carmel graduate, CFL quarter back and 2013 Heismen finalist with Northern Illinois, is seen in a Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, file photo in Chicago. Lynch will replace Frank Lenti as Mount Carmel’s head football coach.
A first-year running backs coach at Northern Illinois, Lynch was concentrating on finishing the regular season with an eye toward the Huskies’ Dec. 26 bowl game in Detroit.
“I couldn’t believe they reached out to me,” Lynch said. “I was in my first season as an assistant coach in college. Taking over the football program at Mount Carmel was the last thing I needed to think about. At that point, I had never thought about coaching high school football.”
The school followed up with a second phone call around Dec. 20, according to Lynch. This time it was school president Ned Hughes on the phone offering him the job.
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That’s when the possibility of returning to his alma mater excited Lynch.
“I started thinking about it seriously,” Lynch said. “I talked to my wife about it. We’re having a baby in February. We decided it was a great situation.”
According to Lynch, Mount Carmel’s administration made it clear that they were going to hire a new coach — whether he accepted the job or not.
“I have no idea how it went down with Frank,” Lynch said. “Everybody would have liked Frank to go out on his own terms. I haven’t been around in seven or eight years. I don’t know what takes place behind the scenes.”
On Dec. 29 Lynch signed on as Mount Carmel’s new football coach, eight years removed from playing quarterback for the Caravan. Before he signed a coaching contract, Lynch reached out that day to Lenti, who won 374 games, 11 state titles and six Prep Bowls during a 34-year career at Mount Carmel.
Lynch didn’t feel any animosity from Lenti during their phone conversation.
“Frank was happy for me,” Lynch said. “He’s going to be there for me every step of the way. He’s like a second father to me. I’ll do anything for that man. I love Frank.”
Lynch confirmed the two haven’t spoken since.
The changing of the guard has created some confusion, even hostility. Hughes told the Daily Southtown on Dec. 29 that Lenti made the decision to step down.
Lenti, however, issued a press release saying he wanted to continue coaching.
According to a story in Friday’s baiduhai, Lenti showed up for a meeting Thursday intending to resolve the conflict, accompanied by a labor attorney.
There has been backlash on social media from Mount Carmel alumni and fans — not that Lynch is the choice to succeed Lenti, but how Lenti was forced out without a proper sendoff.
Lynch said he hasn’t received any backlash from Mount Carmel alumni.
“I haven’t seen it,” he said. “I’ve gotten great support. A lot of the top alumni said they’re 100 percent behind me.”
Lynch met with the team for the first time on Wednesday. One of the players was freshman Justin Lynch, Jordan’s brother. Jordan Lynch was excited about the response from the players.
“There was a lot of excitement,” he said. “I think they feel for coach Frank and I do, too.”
Much of Lenti’s staff will remain intact. Frank’s brother Dave Lenti will continue as defensive coordinator. Frank’s son, Frank Lenti Jr., will be receivers coach. Longtime assistants Bill Nolan and Mark Antonietti are on board.
“I’m going to bring in a few new pieces,” Lynch said. “But if it’s not broke, don’t change it.”
There will be one noticeable change to the Caravan’s offense. Lynch said the Caravan will continue to run the triple option, but with a twist.
“We’re going to run it out of the shotgun (formation),” Lynch said. “It will be a lot of the same old-school Mount Carmel stuff. But we’re going to incorporate some of the stuff I ran at Northern Illinois and in the CFL (Canadian Football League).”
Lynch, 27, set multiple NCAA rushing and passing records and was a 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing third, in 2013. He landed a free agent contract with the Bears in 2014 but failed to make the roster. He played two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL, winning the 2015 Grey Cup.
Even though he has just one year of coaching under his belt, Lynch believes he’s ready to excel.
“Everything I’ve done in my life I’ve been successful at,” Lynch said. “I’ve sat in staff meetings and game-planned at Northern. Age is just a number. This was the next step.”
Twitter @disabato